Lift and carrier



United States Patent James 0. Coker 396 Hickory St., Lewisville, Texas 75067 759,473 Sept. 12, 1968 Oct. 27, 1970 [72] Inventor [2]] App]. No.

[22] Filed [45] Patented [54] LIFT AND CARRIER 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl.. 214/390,

. 254/8 [51] Int. Cl 860p 3/40 [50] Field ofSearch 214/390, 392, 394, 396; 254/8, 120

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,021,773 4/1912 Grub 254/8(,2)UX

8/1935 Jones 254/8(.2)UX

. 2,424,442 7/1947 Eisner 214/392 2,463,331 3/1949 Hicks 214/390UX 2,551,097 5/1951 C0le 214/390 FOREIGN PATENTS 545,022 8/1957 Canada 214/390 Primary ExaminerAlbert J. Makay Anorney-Arthur T. F attibene ABSTRACT: This disclosure is directed to a lift and carrier and more specifically to a sectional lift and carrier adapted-to straddle a load between. The lift and carrier comprisesapa ir of substantially similar structures each including a frame on which support and lift means is moveably mounted. An actuating means is operatively connected between the frame and support and lift means for effecting movement thereof between an operative raised position and an inoperative lowered position relative to the associated frame.

Patented Oct. 27, 1970 Sheet of 2 y mi 3- FIG. I

INVENTOR. BY JAMES COKER @215, m

m a m a, a a Z 0 r. i E m M HT 3 a n w A H K flw h u II HF n m a o a 2 ATTORM Y Patented 0t,27,1970 3,536,220

Sheet of 2 INVENTOR. 37mm QCOKER ATTORNEY LIFT AND CARRIER Heretofore numerous efforts have been made to develop a practical lift and carrier which could be readily operated by a single operator for both lifting a load off a supporting surface and transporting a load from one point-to another. These efforts took the form of variously constructed hand trucks which generally required the load to be initially tilted or lifted onto the hand truck in order to effect the loading of the load onto the hand truck. However, such hand trucks were undesirable for moving loads such as refrigerators. upright freezers and ice boxes or other large packaged loud and the like which normally contain contents that would become disarranged and/or spilled upon tilting. Consequently, to effect movement of such loads on such hand trucks it was heretofore necessary to completely remove the contents from such ice box, refrigerators or load before effecting the movement thereof. Such unloading and subsequent reloading of the contents of such loads proved to be a tedious, time consuming and costly operation. Also the initial tilting of the load in order to effect placement of the load onto the hand trucks proved to be extremely dangerous particularly when exceptionally heavy loads are encountered. In addition such loading of a hand truck cannot be readily effected by a single mover or operator.

Because many appliances such as freezers, refrigerators, stoves and the like are placed adjacent to a vertical wall or closely adjacent to other pieces of furniture, the amount of clearance around such load is frequently limited and generally insufficient for accommodating the known hand truck constructions. For this reason such appliance or load had to be first moved away from the wall or adjacent furniture by manually sliding it over the floor toward the center of the room, and thereafter tilting or otherwise placing it on the hand truck whereby it may then be transported to a desired place. Because of the initial movement required to clear the appliance or load from an adjacent wall or obstruction, it was therefore extremely difficult to effect the initial movement thereof by one man.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide and improve lift and carrier which can be readily attached to a load and effectively handled by one man to both lift and move a given load from one point to another.

Another object is to provide a lift and carrier constructed and arranged so that a load can be readily positioned and supported thereon without requiring any initial tilting of the load relative to the lift or carrier.

Another object is to provide a lift and carrier which requires a minimum of space to effect the loading thereof.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sectional lift and carrier which comprises a pair of substantially similar or identical sections adapted to straddle a load therebetween.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sectional carrier and lift which can be easily and readily secured to a load and whereby the load may be lifted and transported thereby with a maximum ofease and a minimum ofeffort.

Another object is to provide a lift and a carrier having a built-in mechanical advantage for effecting the lifting of the load prior to the transporting thereof over a supporting surface.

The foregoing objects and other features and advantages of this invention are obtained by a sectional lift and carrier which comprises a pair of substantially similar or identically constructed sections which are adapted to straddle a load therebetween. Each section includes a frame structure defined by opposed leg portions to which wheel means are suitably connected. A lift means having a load bearing or supporting means connected adjacent thelower end thereof is moveably mounted on the frame for movement between a lowered inoperative position and raised operative position. An actuating means is interposed between the frame means and lift and support means to effect the lifting thereof between the lowered and raised position. The actuating means comprises essentially a lever which is pivotally mounted to the frame on which there is connected intermediate the ends of the lever a cam roller.

The arrangement is such that the cam roller is disposed in rolling engagement with an upper portion or rail means of the lift means so that when the lever is pivoted or rotated about its pivot the cam roller is displaced to effect the camming of the associated lift means and the connected support means between a lowered and raised position depending upon the direction of rotation of the lever means about its pivot. A means is provided for limiting rotation of the lever means toward raised operative. position to a point beyond dead center so as to positively maintain the load in the raised position. Circumscribing belts or straps are provided for securing the respective sections together with the loud supported therebetween.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision whereby the respective carrier sections are similar or identical in construction.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provisions that the lift and carrier requires a minimum of clearance about the load in order to effect a positioning of the load onto the lift and carrier.

Another feature of this invention resides in the provision of an actuating means having a built-in mechanical advantage for effecting a positive displacement of the lift portion relative to the associated frame portion of the carrier.

Another feature of this invention resides in manner in which the lift means is rendered moveably mounted relative to the frame of the carrier.

Another feature of this invention resides inan adjustably supporting the lift means relative to the associated frame.

Other features and advantages will become more apparent when considered in view of the drawings and specifications in which FlG. 1 is a side elevation view of a sectional component of the lift and carrier wherein the solid lines showing illustrates the lift in the lowered inoperative position and in the raised or operative position by the phantom line showing. FIG. 2 illustrates and end view of the carrier illustrating the manner in which a load is supported therebetween. H6. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken along line'3-3 on FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a detailed view of guide means between the frame and the lift.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a lift and carrier 10 of the present invention. As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lift or carrier 10 of this invention comprises a pair of substantially identical lift and carrier sections 11, ll. Each section 11 comprises a substantially U-shaped frame 12 having opposed leg portions 12A; 12B and an interconnecting bight portion 12C which are substantially coplanarly disposed.

in the illustrated form of the invention it will be noted that the bight portion 12C of the frame member 12 converges or inclines upwardly and inwardly as best seen in FIG. I. Suitably connected to the free end of the opposed leg portion 12A, 12B are suitable wheel means 13, as for example casters. In the illustrated form of the invention it will be noted that each wheel means or caster 13 comprises a double wheel construction.

An interconnecting crosspiece 14 is disposed between the opposed leg portions 12A, 12B.

Mounted on the frame 12 is a lift means 15 which comprises a pair of upwardly extending stanchion members 15A, 15B. Referring to FIG. 1 the respective stanchion members 15A, 15B are mounted for relative movement with respect to the frame 12 by means of a pin 16 fixed to the crosspiece 14. The

. support channels 19 of support means 18 to the respective stanchions 15A, 15B.

Connected to the upper end of the stanchion 15A, 15B is a crosstie or rail 22. in the illustrated form of the invention the rail 22 is defined as an angle member having a horizontally disposedflange 22A'extending above the upper end of the An actuating means 23 is operatively. interconnected between the frame 12 and thelift means to effect relative movement therebetweenlln the illustrated form of the inventending between'oppose d leg portions 25A, 25A.

Connected intermediate the ends of the lever 24 is a roller 26 which is rotatably journale'd thereon about pivot 27. Coni nected to the free end of the lever 24 is an extension'24B to which a suitable handle extension '28 isremovably connected,

Referring to FIG. 1 the roller 26 is disposed in rolling engagement with horizontalflange 22A of the crosstie or'rail 22.

In operation the movement of; the lift means .15 relative to frame 12 between a lowered and raised position may be readily effected by simply rotating the lever 24 about its pivot 24A.

. 4 positively supportedin' the raised position. Accordingly the load can be readilyv wheeled over the supporting-surface to any desired position. To lower theload L the lever isrotated in the opposite direction as indicated.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that a single operator using the sectional lifts or carriers describedherein can singularly lift and transport any 'load Which can be supported between the respective sections 11-11. The operation of the carrier 10 is 'such that the same'can be applied toany load without the requirement of tilting the load or initially moving the load to the center of a room. Little, if any, clearance is required as the carrier section 11 can be applied to any exposed side of a load L. Conceivably a load Lmay be lifted and transported by attaching therespective sections 11-11 to ad- 3 jacent sides of the load.

With the lift construction described loads can be transported from point to point withoutv removing the contents thereof, e.g. in the case of a refrigerator or the like. Saving in As is shown in FIGJl, rotating the lever in'a counterclockwise H direction from the solid line showing to the dotted line showing will'cause'the lift means 15 to be raised relative to the frame 12 to itsuppermost position. In the upper or raised posi tion it willbe noted the pivot 27 of the roller 26 is disposed beyond the dead center position of the lever 24 or to the left of the lever pivot 24A. The web 258 of the bracket defines a stop 7 for lever 24 in the raised position. Then in the raised position of the lift, the load is positively supported.

To effect the lowering of the lift 15 together withthe load L thereon, the respectivehandles 28 are rotated clockwise to the solid line positionas indicated in FIG. 1.

To further guide thelift means 15 relative to the frame 12 between raised and lowered positions therein is provided a guide means 29. As shownin FIG. 4 the guide means 29 comprises a sleeve 29A connected to the side A of bracket 25.

Connected to the rail 22 is a pin 298 which is adapted to be slidably received in sleeve 29A. Thus, the coaction between sleeve 29A and pin .298 further functions to adjustably secure the lift means 15 to frame 12.

As shown in FIGJ1 and2,-the carrier 11 is provided with a belt or straps 30 which is adapted to encircle the load L and to tie the opposed carrier sections 1l--11 together.

To stow the handle extension 28 when not in use, a means is I provided to stow the handle extension on the frame 12. As

shown in FIG. I, the stow means includes a slip 31 which will frictionally secure one end of the handle extension28. The lower end of thehandle extension is supported by a hook formation 32 fixed to the frame 12. To stow the handle 28, one

end is fitted over hook 32 and'the other end is frictionally slipped between the prongs of clip 31.

In operation the respective carriers 11-11 are disposed on opposite sides of a load L as shown in FIG. 2. With the respective lift means 15 lowered to the inoperative positionrthe means 18 may be readily positioned beneath thel oad L, and

adjusted thereto. 7

With the respective carrier-sections 11-11 disposed to the load L, the belt or-straps 30 is encircled about the load'and passed through appropriate loops 33 formed in the respective leg portions 12A, 12B of the carrier sections 1l'11. With the ends of straps 30 secure the loadis straddled and secured to the respective carrier sections 1 l-l 1.

The handle extension 28 is then unstowed and attached to the lever extension .3243 ofg-lever 24. The lever 24 of the respective sections 11-11 is rotated as indicated in FIG. 1 to cause the respective left sections 15-15 to be raised. In doing so the load L straddle between sections is raised off the floor.

Because the respective levers 24 arepivoted throughthe labor can be afforded as a single, mover can effectively handle loads which previously require more .than one handler.

Further the' lift minimizes damage to the load as the load can I derstood and appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim: v 1. A load lifter and carrier comprising: a pair of similarly constructed lifter and carrier sections adapted to straddle a load therebetween, each of said sections including an inverted U-shaped frame having coplanar disposed opposite leg portions and an interconnecting bight portion;

wheel means connected to the opposed leg portions;

a pair of spaced stanchions moveably mounted on said frame;

a tie rneans interconnectedbetween said stanchions adjacent the upper end thereof, said tie means being above the bight portion'of said frame;

' a load support adjustably connected to the other end of said spaced stanchions forsupportinga load thereon;

an activating means for effecting movement ,of said stanchions and connected load support between a raised and lowered position relative to said frame, said activating means includinga lever pivotably mounted to said frame;

roller pivotably journaled on said lever intermediate the ends thereof, said roller being disposed in rolling engagement with said tie means; and

a handle means connected to said lever means to facilitate pivoting said lever about'its pivot for effecting displacement of said roller and associated tie means, and means for securing said sections with 'a load straddled therebetween.

2.- The invention as defined in claim 1 and including means for guiding said stanchions relative to said frame.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said guide means includes a pin and slot connection between said frame and stanchions, and a loop between said tie means and frame.

4. A load lifter and carrier comprising:

a pair of similarly constructed lifter. and carrier sections, each section including a substantially inverted U-shaped frame having opposed leg portions and an interconnecting bight portion; 7 i V a crosstie interconnected between said leg portions;

wheel means connected to the ends ofsaid legportions;

a bracket connected to the uppermost portion of said bight portion of a pair of spaced apart stanchions;

a support connected to the lower ends of said stanchions;

means for connecting said stanchions for movement relative to said frame between a lowered and raised portion;

a cross rail connected to the upper end of said stanchion,

said rail being disposed above said bracket;

activating means for effecting movement of said stanchions, said activating means including a lever pivotally mounted to said bracket;

a roller pivotally journaled on said lever intermediate the ends of said lever, said roller being disposed in rolling relationship with said rail;

a handle means connected to said lever to rotate said lever about its pivot to effect displacement of said stanchions and connected support between a raised and lowered position; and

belt means adapted for securing said sections and load straddled therebetween.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 and including means for adjustably connecting said load support to said stanchions.

6. The invention as defined in claim 4 and including means for guiding said stanchions relative to said frame between a raised and lowered position.

7. A load lifter and carrier comprising:

a pair of lifter and carrier sections adapted to straddle a load therebetween, each of said sections including a rigid frame means having coplanar, oppositely disposed leg portions and an interconnecting bight portion;

wheel means connected to the oppositely disposed leg portion whereby said section is free to roll over a supporting surface;

stanchion means moveably mounted on each section for movement between a raised position and a lowered position;

a'rail means connected to said stanchion means adjacent the upper end thereof;

a load support means connected to the other end of said stanchion means;

activating means connected to said frame means for effecting movement of said stanchion means and connected load support means and rail means between a raised position and a lowered position relative to said frame, said activating means including a lever means pivotally mounted to said frame means;

a roller pivotally journaled in said lever in spaced relationship to the pivot connection of said lever to said frame, said roller being disposed in rolling engagement with said rail means;

a handle means connected to said lever means to facilitate the pivoting of said lever means about its pivot for effecting displacement of said roller and associated rail means; and

means for securing each of said sections with a load straddled therebetween. 

